Throughout the week, Catherine had been texting me and insisting that we set up a picnic on Sunday to say goodbye. She wanted to invite the principals that I worked with and Madame Bodet. She insisted that we have it in Crémieu because of the beautiful views. I spent a lot of the week confused. No one seemed to know who was actually in charge of this shindig. Madame Bodet thought I was organizing it, Catherine seemed to think Mme Bodet was organizing, and I thought Catherine was organizing it. Finally, on Saturday I just told her that the weather looked grim and I didn’t think we should do anything. I insisted that I would say my individual goodbyes. Still, she wanted to do something together Sunday. She also asked that I show her my apartment so she could inspect it for the assistant the coming year. The place was an absolute mess so I scurried around to make sure it was clean.
I assumed that she meant a picnic, however, when I was picked up Sunday afternoon I discovered that it would be a long hike. Her daughter came along so we ended up speaking in French. I felt like I couldn’t get more than three words out before I was interrupted and Catherine wildly misinterpreted what I said. I really did appreciate the effort that she made to do something special, even if I was a bit frazzled by the end of the experience. We got to see several beautiful houses on the walk before we returned to the little city. From there, she drove us through the countryside to see a château on a lake where there used to be parties in the 90s.
Old house mixed with modern wood addition in the back
There didn’t used to a door here. This was a place where members of the Resistance were hidden during WWII.
I love some good tile work on these roofs
Cows sitting in the field. Catherine tried to tell her daughter that America doesn’t have small farms like this any more and I had to interject to say that I actually live near a few.
The road led up to a private castle. It was in pretty bad shape. The French government only gives money for repairs if they’re open for tours. This one is not.
The back view of the castle.
Another castle. Remember when I visited this in November, but couldn’t see around the gate?
Here’s a better view
Of course, after we got back, Catherine decided that she didn’t have time to see the apartment. She would have to come another day. I guess at least my apartment was a little bit more clean either way…
For dinner, I ate with the Bodets. We had white wine before dinner and talked about how my packing was coming along (I hadn’t started, but I wasn’t about to let them know that). For the main meal we had little kebabs of duck hearts and vegetables, sausages, and a side of rice. It was really a strange meal, not one of my top ten haha.
When I got home, I had a call with my sister and got to hear about her life. She’s getting vaccinated soon! Yay!
I woke up and had my breakfast while enjoying the news. I got to have a long phone call with my mom, dad, and cat. We chatted about market plans for the summer and all the things we’re excited to do when I get home. I’m getting more and more excited to see people. Even with social distancing and masks, being in the same vicinity as the people you care about really is just miles better than having a phone call. I’m excited to get back to that.
When the call ended, I decided that I should get out there and enjoy my little village while I could. I took off on a walk around town. Before I really got going, I dropped off some items that I won’t be bringing back to the US at a donation bin near town hall. Despite it being a cloudy and windy day, I did enjoy getting out there and listening to my podcasts.
Fields of “colza” flowers. They make canola oil.
The remains of a church on the hillside.
The fields are so bright you can see them from afar!
A look at the Rhône. During the summer the water level falls and more land appears. People go swimming down there and enjoy the beach.
For dinner, I tried to go over to the Bodet house. However, when I went in, it seemed that no one was home. I crept back out the door and went back to my place for a sloppy joe. I watched movies and chatted with friends the rest of the night.
I locked myself away for the day and worked on my blog post for Colmar. It ended up being a lot more extensive than I originally planned, but I wanted to do the history tour correctly for the folks who follow along with my misadventures.
In the afternoon, I started work on a scrap sweater. I plan to use all my leftover yarn to make patches and when I get home, I’ll sew them all together to make a sweater. It’s been a fun project so far.
I was having an afternoon coffee when I found out that Prince Philip died. My groupchat with all the French teachers exploded. All of them were incredibly upset and shocked. I was a little shocked that they were shocked considering he’d already lived 99 years and had heart surgery pretty recently.
At the Bodet house, the special coverage of the Prince’s life was already on TV. They canceled much of the regular programming to discuss him and his accomplishments. It seems that the French have a lot of respect for the monarchy. I talked to the Bodets about it and they characterized it as a semi-nostolgia for the days of the French monarchy. Older folks in France almost wish they had they same type of heritage as their English counterparts.
Before dinner we had mojitos with lemon instead of lime. At dinner we had some white wine. We ate a shrimp purée soup followed by rice and shrimp.
I was awoken by a phone call from Mme Bodet around 11. She insisted that we go off to the bank immediately. I asked if I could take 30 minutes to shower and get ready because I’d just woken up, but she said no that it wasn’t possible. I asked if we could go another day and she said no. So- I brushed my teeth and put in my contacts and was off to the bank.
At Banque Populaire, we waited in the lobby for several minutes for someone to come help us. We had to call the hotline to get someone out of their office because they had no receptionist that day. A little man rushed out and brought us back to his office. I told him that I needed help withdrawing 600 euros to pay my landlady and that we needed instructions to close my account. What followed next was the fastest and most intense exchange in French that I’ve heard in quite some time. I understood none of it- yet both parties were staring at me expectantly at the end. I stuttered that I did not understand and Mme Bodet tried to explain again- nothing was sparking. I just nodded so we could get out of there quicker. We withdrew my money and went to the car.
Pictured: my brain trying to process what was happening in that appointment
Finally, she explained what was going on in English and I understood. I needed to get the routing numbers and the accounts numbers for my bank in the US. Then she would wait until the day I was paid and wire me the money in my French account. When all of that was complete, she would close the account and turn in my card for destruction. Phew!
At home once more, I was in the worst mood. The sudden swing into French before I even had time to become a person for the day was too much for my little brain. I took my shower, made a big breakfast, and enjoyed my coffee while I watched some Netflix. I took a bit of time to calm myself down and feel like a person again before I called the bank in the US.
When I felt balanced once more, I called my American bank. We got all the details sorted out and I got all the numbers I needed. I also was able to unfreeze my card a bit early for my earlier return. That worked out well! I sent the information to my French banker and awaited a response.
I went over to the Bodet house for dinner that night. Daniel made us some delicious rum cocktails while we watched the news. At dinner we had red wine, chicken, and rice with a mushroom sauce. Lately, Ianja has been getting in trouble because he leaves the dinner table early and refuses to come back down to clear the table. His chore is to set and to clear the table for meals. His parents have not been happy with that, so he got a big lecture.
I spent the rest of the evening watching TV and talking to friends on the phone.
I had a slow morning on Wednesday. I made breakfast and watched the news. I took time to finish my last baby blanket before my 2:45 meeting with Nawel. The weather was super windy and gross so I didn’t bother going out for walk.
The final product.
Nawel met me down at the little park with her two daughters at 2:45. I presented the girls with the blanket that I made, my set of paints and brushes, as well as a pad of paper to paint with. They were so sweet and gave me a little bouquet of flowers they picked. We drove across town to her house for our lesson. The girls proudly showed me all the books they got from the library that morning. Nawel and I spoke to them in English so they could practice too. I was impressed because they both seemed to understand.
During the course of our conversation, Nawel and I started talking about Algeria’s relationship to France. Algeria was a French colony for 132 years. The colonial period has stripped Algeria of much of its resources and has crippled the country economically. I asked Nawel if the Algeria people are resentful towards France and she replied that they were. She felt angry because France has not done enough to rectify the wrongs of the colonial period. She told me that Macron was the first French president to apologize for French actions during the Algerian war of independence, which was notoriously bloody and bitter. She told me that France should be doing more to increase economic opportunities for Algerians through trade deals and that they should be doing more to make sure that Algerians are vaccinated during COVID.
At the end of the lesson, we agreed to keep in touch through email and snail mail. I was really touched when she gave me a beautiful gift called a sand rose or a “rose de sable.” I am excited to bring it back with me.
A beautiful day for a wine photo shoot
Throughout the afternoon I read and crocheted. In the evening, I started rewatching Arrested Development.
For dinner, I went over and ate with the Bodet family. Before dinner we had a glass of port and watched the news. We had some delicious lasagne for dinner and had vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Well- it was time to start the preparations for my return to the US. I knew that I wouldn’t have space for my books, so I put in a call to my neighbor Catherine J and asked her to help me ship them. Conveniently, she had a shift at the post office at 2pm. I loaded up all my books and hopped in the car with her when it was time to go.
My little pile of books that I’ve accumulated
At the post office, we got my books packaged and taken care of. Only 14 euros! They’ll arrive after me, but that’s fine.
Bye books!
When the books were packed away, we took the time to close my Livret A. This was an account that would allow me to receive my paycheck, but force me to withdraw all my money in cash. After about 15 minutes we got that closed.
“Show us your most beautiful smile. In you interest, we have to verify your identity. Thank you for taking off your mask for a few moments.” “How to take off your mask with the most security.”
I thanked Catherine for all her help and went over to the Carrefour for one last grocery trip. I made sure to only get the essentials (and some treats for folks that might be interested to try French candy).
The post office. It appears they limit the number of people allowed inside. I was happy to have made it in before the rush.
A look back at the Carrefour market.
Bernadette Bodet picked me up from the store and we drove to Mr. Bricolage, a store devoted to home repair. We grabbed the items that she needed and went back to Anthon. I told her about my success with the Livret A and we planned to go later in the week to Banque Populaire to see what steps needed to be taken to close my account with them.
When I arrived at home, I made lunch and set about sending all the emails I could. It was finally time to book my plane ticket! I called AirFrance and sat on the line for an hour before suddenly- the line went dead. I called back again and after another hour I reached someone. I scheduled a flight to Detroit for free because my previous flight was canceled. I was thrilled. I called my dad to share the good news and schedule a pickup- only to be interrupted by a call from the airline. I picked up and was told that the flight I scheduled not five minutes before was canceled. Thankfully, we were able to find one to Chicago on the same day! I called my cousin and confirmed she could pick me up from the airport. Woo! I’m coming home!
I had a 9:30am train back to Lyon. I cleaned up the Airbnb, gathered my things, and said goodbye to my last weekend get-away in France. The train was right on time and I got on without a problem. About an hour into the ride, we stopped for 30 minutes. The gendarmes came onto the train and forced a man off because he refused to comply with mask rules. I read a Nancy Drew book and got about halfway through a Percy Jackson book before my stop. In Lyon, I waited about 5 minutes for the tram before getting on and making my way to Meyzieu. There, I met Mme Bodet’s husband, Daniel, who drove me home. He told me that they were having Easter lunch at his brother-in-law’s house and invited me to join them for dinner later that evening. I said that I would and was back to my apartment by 2pm.
The beautiful sky in my back yard
My little neighbor cat was lurking outside. Little guy seems to have injured his foot. He’s got a little cast on there. I wonder if he’s being bullied by the neighborhood kitties.
I spent the afternoon reading Percy Jackson. I finished the book just in time to go over to the Bodet house for dinner. We had a glass of red wine while we relaxed and watched the news together. I confirmed with them that I would be heading home soon and we made plans to go to the bank later that week to get things sorted out. We had a delicious dinner and I headed home afterward.
Happy Easter to everyone who celebrates! I got up bright and early to go to Mass at St. Matthieu’s church. It was an incredible experience. I sat at the back so I could see everything that was happening around me. I enjoyed being able to understand the stories that were being told and thought that hearing the organ was just incredible. So glad that I took the time to do that! Mass got out around 12:30 and I made my way back home for lunch.
View in St. Matthieu’s
Stores were closed because of the holiday, so there wasn’t much to do outside. It was chilly, despite the beautiful sun. Still, I wanted to make the most of my visit. I put on a podcast and set out in a direction that I hadn’t explored yet. Here are some pictures from my walk!
I saw a lot of rich people houses!
Love the stone work here.
Institute de L’assomption
French side walks have lower curbs than American ones. People often just pull their cars up onto the side walk like it’s a parking space. Life in a wheelchair here would be incredibly difficult.
I crossed a little bridge and discovered an adorable park. There were people having picnics beside the river.
This is downstream from La Petite Venise
Big rooster statue in the Petite Venise areaRestaurants near Petit Venise
Absolutely love the shutters here
I thought it was cute that the bridge was decorated in these little locks.
There is no Easter Bunny in France. Instead, they have Easter chickens
The streets were empty
Chocolate chickens
After my walk, I found myself in the main park. I sat and read a book on my phone for a while before I got cold. When I got back to my room, I warmed up pizza from the night before and had some snacks. I watched movies all night.
My goal for the day was to go through the tourist trail that I had researched the night before. It was quite a lengthy trail with 40 suggested sites spread across the city. I’ll do my best to take you along with me on the trip! At times it was a bit hard to find the signs for each stop, so there are a few missing.
On my way out for the day I saw an article in the window of the local paper about the police officer who was killed at the Capitol.
Number 36: La Préfecture du Haut-Rhin. Construction started for the building in 1862. The former Hôtel de Ville was on this site. It survived a fire in 1938, was bombed by Germans in 1940, and was damaged by the final sieges of 1944-45.
Number 37: the Braut Fountain. “This fountain, built in tribute to Admiral Armand-Joseph Bruat (1796-1855) who was born in Colmar, is the work of Auguste Bartholdi and was inaugurated in 1864. It was the first in Colmar to have a system to stream water. The fountain represented the allegories of the four continents. It was destroyed by the Nazis in 1940. In 1958, the bronze statue was restored and placed on a new fountain built by sculptor Choain and architect Porte. The original sandstone heads are kept at the Bartholdi Museum. Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) said in his writings that the head of the African was what inspired him to be a doctor in the African bush.” – Colmar Tourist Office
Number 38- Monument to General Rapp The monument was brought to Colmar in 1856, the home of its creator, Bartholdi. It celebrates General Rapp who was a hero in Napoleon’s armies. He assisted in the Russian campaign. Even after the Emperor’s fall, he remained fiercely loyal. His heart is interred in the St. Matthieu’s church where he was a parishioner.
Before I started the trail, I stopped at a little boulangerie to pick up breakfast and snacks. I got some croissants and some pain au chocolat. The bakery was absolutely stuffed full of desserts for Easter. I wanted to get some pictures, but the number of people inside was limited to three and there was a queue outside so I didn’t want to take up the time.
Some new friends joined me for breakfast. Everyone who passed by on their way through told me “bon appetit”
Finally, it was time to officially start the trail.
Number 1: The Unterlinden Museum “The Unterlinden Museum (French: Musée Unterlinden) is located in Colmar, in the Alsace region of France. The museum, housed in a 13th-century Dominican religious sisters’ convent and a 1906 former public baths building, is home to the Isenheim Altarpiece by the German Renaissance painter Matthias Grünewald and features a large collection of local and international artworks and manufactured artifacts from prehistorical to contemporary times. It is a Musée de France. With roughly 200,000 visitors per year, the museum is the most visited in Alsace.”
This building houses the Tourism Office. It is currently closed, as it is not an essential business.
Number 2: The House of Heads “Built in 1609 for the shopkeeper Anton Burger, the house of heads is attributed to the architect Albert Schmidt, who also made the former protestant presbytery and the house of the St. John’s Knights. The house of heads, a fine building dating from the German renaissance, owes its name to the 106 heads or grotesque masks that decorate a rich façade on which stands also a three-storey bay window. The gable of the building is decorated with volutes and the statue of a cooper, sculpted in 1902 by Auguste Bartholdi, who responded to an order of the wines Exchange that had moved into the building in 1898. The house of heads has been restored in 2012.” – Colmar Tourism Office
Beautiful flowers
I love seeing steeples peep through the buildings
The other side of the building is currently under construction. It houses the dormitory of the Dominican priests.
Number 4: The Dominican church “Started in 1283, the construction of the Dominican church mainly dates back to the first half of the 14th century. It is an important example of the mendicant orders architecture, even if the Dominicans arrived in 1278 were temporarily driven out of the city in 1330. In 1458, the roof and the cloister were damaged by a fire. After that, reconstruction works have been necessary. In 1720, thanks to the installation of a baroque decorating, the church was less austere than before. The Dominican church was during the most part of the 19th century used to non-religious ends, before becoming again a place of worship in 1898. The church has been restored in the early 80 and 90.Around 1475, Martin Schongauers studio created the Altarpiece of the Dominicans which is today exposed in the Unterlinden museum. Since 1973 the Dominican Church owns the masterpiece of Martin Schongauer, Madonna of the Rose Bush, which was exposed in the Saint Martin collegiate church.”
Number 5: Voltaire’s residence. The writer rented two rooms here between 1753 and 1754.
Number 6: Bartholdi Museum “Located since 1922 in the house where the sculptor Auguste Bartholdi was born (Colmar 1834 – Paris 1904), the Bartholdi museum is entirely dedicated to presenting the artist’s work. Family furniture, personal souvenirs, models, drawings, paintings, engravings and photographs are presented on three floors.”
I bought some postcards to send out and spotted this little carving across the street.
This building sits just down the street from the Bartholdi Museum and the Adolph house.
Number 7: Pfister house “The Pfister house was built in 1537 for the hatter Ludwig Scherer, who made his fortune with money trading in the Val de Liepvre. Despite its medieval features, the house is the first example of architectural renaissance in Colmar. With its two-storey corner oriel, its wood gallery, its octagonal turret and its mural paintings which represent biblical and secular scenes, the Pfister house became one of the symbols of the old Colmar. It owns its name to the family who restored it and lived there from 1841 to 1892.” – Colmar Tourist Office
I watched a Rick Steves video and learned that it was often very expensive to have a large ground floor because of the way buildings were taxed. Instead, owners built outward on upper floors to gain floor space.
Number 9: The Former Guard House “Built on the former chapel Saint-Jacques (first mentioned in 1286) which served a time as town hall, the building has been converted in 1575 for secular purposes. Above a vaulted ossuary, the building had on the first floor a barrack room and rooms upstairs. The logia, built from 1577 to 1582, and its prolific decorative repertoire are with the portal a jewel of the Renaissance architecture in the Upper Rhine.
The building was also used for commercial ends. A nuts market and an oilseed market took place there and it was also a place of justice. The logia was then used as a grandstand by the magistrates at the announcement of the convictions. From 1860 onwards, the building was used as military housing offices and then as a police station.”
Number 10: Saint Martin Collegiate Church “Built between 1235 and 1365 the Saint Martin’s collegiate church is an important example of Gothic architecture in Alsace. Because of a fire in the south tower in 1572 the framework and all the roofs were destroyed. The tower was replaced three years later by the original lantern bulb (a construction on the top of the dome which has the form of a lantern) which gives the Church its characteristic silhouette. The church has been restored several times. In 1982 during the most recent restoration, foundations of a church from the year 1000 and traces of extensions from the 11th and the 12th centuries were found. The inhabitants of Colmar consider for a long time the Saint Martin’s collegiate church as their cathedral (in German “Münster”). But in fact it was really a cathedral only about ten years, from Civil Constitution of the Clergy (1790) to the Concordat of 1801. The two constitutional bishops who followed one another were not able to assert themselves and to organize a diocese, because it was in the two thirds still devoted to Rome.”
Floor plan that details the growth of the church in different time periods.
Confessional booth located in the right wing of the church.
Ornate carving and paintings of the Virgin Mary and Jesus in a prayer alcove on the right side of the church.
Saints from the Alsace region and Jesus in an alcove on the left hand side of the church.
This might be where they keep the host.
Paintings on the ceiling.
The main alter of the church.
One of the massive stained glass windows.
Saint Odile was born blind. When she was 15 she prayed to God and was granted sight.
Wooden carved piece
The building is famous for its massive organ.
View from the back of the church
Look at that vaulted ceiling!
The main doors of the church
Side door of the church
Number 11: The Town Hall “The current form of the building is dating back to the late 18th century, and more exactly from 1775. The Cistercian monks from the abbey of Paris bought a property of Jean-Jacques Reiss, a bailiff from Ensisheim and Sainte-Croix-en-Plaine. Braconnot, steward of the abbey, asked the architect Ritter of Guebwiller to reconstruct the building in a neo-classic style, from 1778 to 1782. Confiscated during the Revolution, the building was firstly used by the administrative headquarters of the department in 1790, and then by the prefecture from 1810 to 1866, the year the building was bought by the city of Colmar to become its town hall.”
At this point, I decided to go home and eat lunch. I got some Starbucks on my way, as I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for an American style coffee. I ate in my room, grabbed another sweater, and headed back out to see the town. I resumed my walk at the town hall and decided to wander down some side streets while I was around.
I’m actually not sure what this building is used for today, but I thought it was beautiful.
There’s the St. Martin church peeking through the buildings again!
Number 12: Seat of the Ploughman’s Guild “The current building comes from the reconstruction in 1626 of a building which was already used by the powerful ploughmen’s guild. The guild, which had a role of executive functions on the inhabitants of Colmar, rebuilt its meeting place in the architectural style of the late Renaissance. The door frame, the transoms, the mullions and the decorated lintels of the windows offer a rather complete decorative repertoire.
After the revolution, the Jewish community of Colmar used the building as a worship place until 1842. Then a new synagogue was built rue de la Cigogne.”
Number 13: The Synagogue “Built from 1839 to 1842 on the site of an old farm, the synagogue of Colmar is the seat of the Israelite Consistory and the Grand Rabbinate of the Haut-Rhin.
The presence of the Jewish community in the city is testified since the 18th century. The Jewish community, expelled in the 16th century, came back in Colmar during the Revolution and had at that time an equipped oratory to worship in the former seat of the Ploughmen’s guild. The community filed a record of building in 1814, while the rabbi was transferred from Wintzenheim to Colmar in 1823. The reconstruction of the building started in 1839 in the antique-style of the early 19th century.
The synagogue of Colmar was renovated in 1885 and an annexe was added in 1936. Used as a saleroom and then as an arsenal during the German occupation, the synagogue was again restored after the war. It is the only synagogue in the region which has a bell tower.”
“The French Republic in homage to the victims of anti-Semitic persecution and crimes against humanity committed under the authority of said “Government of the French State” between 1940 and 1944, we will never forget.”
Number 14: The Old Hospital “After the departure of the Franciscans from their monastery, the superior of the religious order in the province sold the buildings to the city of Colmar in 1543. The monastery was then converted into a hospital, but it was struck by lightning in 1735 and destroyed. The hospital was rebuilt between 1736 and 1744 with the stones of the city fortifications, which were destroyed in 1673. The building is a fine example of French architecture of the 18th century, in the balanced and sober style of the neo-classicism.
In the late 16th century, the west side of the buildings was reserved for the military hospital. The neighboring Saint-Matthews Church was then separated in two; one side was for the Protestant community of Colmar and the other side was used as a Catholic chapel for the hospital. The military hospital was moved to the Catherinettes in 1792. However the civil hospital remained in the same building until 1937, the year when the Pasteur hospital was built, west of the city. The buildings were a time occupied by two departments of the IUT of the University of Haute-Alsace, before being restored and refit/refurbish to become, in 2012, the media library of Colmar.”
Number 15: Saint Matthew’s Chuch “The Franciscans, arrived in Colmar before 1250, started in 1292 the construction of a building which was ended only during the first half of the 14th century. With the Dominicans church, this monument is one of the major achievements of the mendicant orders in Alsace. After several restorations from 1982 to 1997, the church has recovered its initial state. For example the ceilings, lowered in 1862 to save money on heating, were raised again. Thanks to the church remarkable acoustic, concerts from the International music festival of Colmar take place there every year.In 1543, the Franciscan monastery closed definitely and the city of Colmar bought the buildings in order to set up the hospital. In 1575 the church was used by the Lutheran community of Colmar. A wall was built in 1715 to separate the protestant chapel in the nave one side and the catholic chapel in the choir on the other side, for the hospital installed close to it. After the construction of the new Pasteur hospital in 1937, the church was again entirely reserved to the protestant worship and in 1987 the wall was destroyed.”
Place de fevrier 2 commemorates the date of liberation in 1945.
Place 2 fevrier
Number 16: Former Protestant Presbytery “Albert Schmidt, also architect of the house called the House of the St. John’s Knights (1608) and The House of Heads (1609) is the author of this building on the Grand Rue, which was built in 1606. Built in a German Renaissance style, the building has three floors and is bordered at each end by a scrolled gable and an oriel window, which adorn the building.”
Number 18: The Schwendi Fountain “This fountain, designed by Auguste Bartholdi in 1898 is surmounted by a bronze statue of Lazare de Schwendi (1522-1583). Demolished in 1940, the fountain was rebuilt after the war with a smaller fountain basin, oriented differently. The statue is now back on the former customs place.
Lazare de Schwendi was war chief between 1564 and 1568 under the emperor Maximilian II and fought against the Turks in Hungary, from where he would have brought the grape variety from Tokay. Auguste Bartholdi was inspired by this legend and decided to represent Lazare de Schwendi with a vine stock in the hand.”
Number 19: Former Customs House “Koiffhus” “The Koïfhus or the former customs house had a strategic place at the confluence of the Grand’Rue and the rue des Marchands, two of the major roads in the medieval city.
Imagined since 1433, the construction of the current building was ended in 1480. Two adjoining buildings were added in the 16th century. The condition of the building was in the 19th century so worrying that a demolition was envisaged. But the project was cancelled and restorations took place from 1895 to 1898. The turret and the glazed tiles came from that time. The last renovation in 2002 was to repair the sandstone balustrade in a Renaissance style which was removed in 1976.
The Koïfhus is the older public local building and had from its creation a double function. The ground floor was used as a warehouse and as a place of taxation for imported and exported goods. The floor was used for the meetings of the deputies of the Décapole, the federation of the 10 imperial cities of Alsace, which was created in 1534. The Magistrate also met there. The revolution abolished commercial privileges and the building was used for other uses. Around 1840 a theatre took place there and in 1848 the first office of the discount bank. The Koïfhus was occupied by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry from 1870 to 1930 and by a catholic boy school and an Israelite school in the late 19th century. Today many manifestations and public activities take place here.”
Number 20: The Law Court “This building, rebuilt in 1532 and constituted from a group of houses, encroached on the cemetery of the Augustinian convent nearby. In the late 16th century the building was deeply changed in the style of the Renaissance. Paintings and epigrams, which have now disappeared, decorated the exterior façades. In 1595, a statue symbolizing the justice came to decorate the new façade. After the installation of the Sovereign Council in 1698 the building has been restored several times. Its current neo-classic façade was made between 1769 and 1771.
Initially the building was used for the meetings of the patrician society Wagkeller, but since 1532 the meetings of the judge which where before at the Koïfhus, took place there. Louis XIV lived there during its visits in 1681 and 1683. The Sovereign Council of Alsace, created in 1657, moved there in 1698. Former court of appeal in the 19th century, the palace of the Sovereign Council is now occupied by the court of first instance in civil and criminals matters.
A niche was built on the façade rue des Augustins, and it contains a replica of the Manneken-Pis. The sculpture, initially installed in front of the public baths, was a gift from the city of Brussels to Colmar in 1922, in memory of the sufferings both cities had known during the German Occupation.”
I had to sneak in between some gates to grab this picture- while not the best, I thought it was worth having. Number 21: The Peffel Monument “This statue of the poet and teacher Théophile Conrad Pfeffel (1736-1809) who was born in Colmar is a copy of an original work of André Friedrich (1859). Initially placed in front of the Unterlinden Museum, the statue was damaged and was replaced by a bronze copy in 1899. However in September 1918, this copy was removed and brought to Frankfurt to be melted for weapons purposes. The current statue was sculpted by Charles Geiss in 1927 and installed in the square next to the former sovereign palace.”
Lots of buildings here were decorated according to what was inside. I’m guessing…. beer.
Number 22: The Covered Market “Opened in 1865, this building was designed by Louis-Michel Boltz. It sits on the river, allowing people to bring their goods in directly from barges. On Thursdays, there are stands allowed outside, though there is a market inside every day. The statue on the outside of the building is by Bartholdi and was installed in 1869.”
Number 24: Natural History Museum “At the heart of the Little Venice district, in a beautiful historic building, the Colmar Museum of Natural History and Ethnography presents rich collections of regional and exotic naturalized animals, the geology of the planet with precious minerals. extraordinary fossils of prehistoric animals found in the region, rare ethnographic objects of the Marquesas Islands, China, Latin America, Africa and an important collection of ancient Egypt (mummies, Coptic fabrics …), the only visible in Alsace.”
Another view of the History Museum from the other side
Number 25: Little Venice or Petite Venise “The « little Venice » is the name given to the course of the Lauch in Colmar. This name probably came from the original line of the houses on both sides of the river, which serves the southeast of the city. This district starts behind the Koïfhus, goes through the fishmonger’s district and to the bridges Turenne and Saint-Pierre. It is therefore at the beginning of the Krutenau, whose etymology refers to places of market gardening on the outskirts of the towns. Originally inhabited by a rural community of wine-producers, market gardeners and boatmen, the Krutenau stretches out around the Turenne Street that the marshal took in 1674 for his triumphant entry in the city. Boat rides are possible there.”
I was proud because I successfully asked someone to take a picture for me!
Number 27: The “so-called house of the St. John’s Knights” “The architecture of this house is reminiscent of Venetian palaces. The house has a two-floor gallery of arched arcades, surmounted by a stone balustrade, which links together two buildings. One side of the building overlooks the road and the other the inner courtyard.
The building is in reality a reconstitution from the 19th century. The original elements have probably been dismantled and then reassembled in Germany. The house has been built in 1608 by the architect Albert Schmidt, also known for the House of Heads and the House of Arcades. This house has never belonged to the Johannites and so there is no real reason to call it the house of the St. John’s Knights.”
Number 28: Roesselmann Fountain “Auguste Bartholdi’s statue, sculpted in 1888, represents the public judge Jean Roesselmann. He passed away while defending Colmar and the municipal liberties against the troops and the covetousness of the Bishop of Strasbourg. He is also considered as the first hero of Colmar and has similarities with Hercule de Peyerimhoff, the mayor of the city from 1855 to 1877, who was relieved from his duties because he refused to submit to the German authorities. Taken away by the Germans in 1943, the bronze statue was restored and reinstalled in 1945 on a white stone monument decorated with four fishes.”
Number 29: Bartholdi College “The Bartholdi high school is on the Oberhof, which is a Carolingian estate at the origin from the city of Colmar. On this site where was the Benedictine Saint Pierre priory, the Jesuits created in the 18th century the first French school of the city. After the dissolution of the Society of Jesus in 1764, the school became College royal. The neo-classic library and the auditorium (salle des actes) came from this period and were imagined by the architect Pierre Michel d’Ixnard between 1785 and 1787.
After becoming a national college in 1791, the school had to wait until 1856, and the Second French Empire, to have the status of high school. In tribute to the famous sculptor from Colmar, the school is named “Lycée Bartholdi” in 1919.”
Number 30: St. Peter’s Chapel “On the Oberhof, one of the original nucleus of Colmar, stands since the 10th century the Saint Pierre priory, which is a property of the Swiss Benedictine abbey from Payerne. A roman church with two towers and which is possible to see on the older maps, was built in the 12th century and then replaced by the Jesuit chapel. The chapel was built from 1742 to 1750 by the architect from Strasbourg Jean-Paul Sarger. He used the stones of the former city fortification, destroyed in 1673. The simplicity of the building is decorated with a stucco decor.
From 1658 to 1679 the chapel was used by the protestant community of Colmar and then in 1698 by the Jesuits. After the dissolution of the Society of Jesus in 1765 the chapel became the chapel of the Collège Royal, which followed the Jesuit school. Every year several concerts of the international music festival from Colmar took place there.”
Number 31: Hirn Monument “Physicien, astronome, mathématicien et philosophe, Gustave Adolphe Hirn (1815-1890) est le grand savant colmarien. L’application de ses recherches en thermodynamique et sur les techniques du pétrole en fait un des pionniers de l’industrie moderne. La statue en bronze représente le membre de l’Institut à sa chaire. Elle est l’œuvre d’Auguste Bartholdi et a été inaugurée quatre ans à peine après le décès du savant, en 1894.”
Number 32: The Water Tower “The water tower was used for the regulation and the distribution of drinking water in Colmar, controlled in July 1884 by municipal wastewater treatment plants. It was imagined by the city architect Jean-Baptiste-Victor Huen and Swiss engineer Henri Grüner. Its tower, in a German neo-Gothic style, is situated on one of the highest points of the city. It has been a feature of the Colmar landscape since 1886. It is 53 meters high and can contain up to 1200 m3 of water. It has not been used since 1984, but remains the oldest water tower in Alsace.”
An adorable little snail boi in the park
Number 33: St. Martin’s Circle “Created in 1880 and reused in 1890 by the priest Etienne Frey, the St Martin’s circle was imagined to provide cultural activities for men, to promote physical exercises and supervise youth. In 1895, the architect François-Xavier Kreyer ends the new building of the association. With its 72 meters long, this massive building combines the neo-Romanesque style and the Gothic style. Most of the major cultural and sporting events of the interwar years took place in the St Martin’s circle. Members of the Clergy and the City Council often met there to share ideas in this high place of the Colmar society. After the war the St Martin’s circle lost its importance.”
Number 34: The Bartholdi Monument “Auguste Bartholdi (1834-1904) created among others the Lion of Belfort (1880) and the Statue of Liberty (1886). He is, with Martin Schongauer, one of the most important artists of Colmar. The hometown of this international artist, Colmar, paid him homage in 1907, by dedicating him a monument in the park’s water tower. Many personalities were there for the inauguration of this sculpture, created by the Hubert Louis-Noel and Antoine Rubin, former pupils of the master.
In 1922, a museum dedicated to the artist was opened in his birthplace. In 2004, for the hundredth anniversary of his death, a resin replica of the Statue of Liberty was installed north of the city in tribute to the artist. The sculpture is 12 meters high.”
Number 35: Court of Appeal “Intended for the Oberlandesgericht or High Tribunal of Reichsland, which was too cramped in the palace of the Sovereign Council, this building was inaugurated in 1906. The construction started in May 1902 on the former site of the experimental vineyard of the Horticultural and Viticulture Society. The building was designed by the architects Kuder and Müller in a German neo-baroque style.
Colmar is the regional judicial capital since the arrival of the Sovereign Council in 1698. From the Revolution it has a superior court, called Court of Appeal, imperial Court or royal Court, according to the periods. The superior court of Alsace-Lorraine succeeded in 1918 to the Oberlandesgericht who settled with the annexation of Alsace by Germany. It became again the Court of Appeal in 1923 and is today still in the same building.”
Amazon, the fiscal vampire
Number 39: The “Catherinettes” “The Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine founded their convent in Colmar in 1310. They originally came from Ammerschwihr. The provisory chapel where they first were was not consecrated until late 1371. The nave was ended in 1436 and the cloister was rebuilt in the 16th century. Other transformations were made during the 18th century. The apse of the choir was cut off in the 19th century to allow works in the rue Kléber. In 1792 the monastery was used as a military hospital. Today the buildings house a school, a party room and the administrative headquarters of the tourist office. Only the very elegant pinnacle, carefully restored, still recalls the original affectation.”
Number 40: The Theatre “The municipal theatre neighboring the former unterlinden convent was completed in 1849, and was designed in the Italian style by Parisian architect Louis Michel Boltz. The interior, with its remarkable ceiling paintwork, is the work of another Parisian, Boulangé. Painstaking restoration work was finished in 2000 and the theatre can now be seen as it was when first built.”
At this point, I realized that I needed to pick up some food for the next day. I located a Casino store and made my way there. I walked through a park and made a little discovery.
“sequoia sempervirens, Provence: California” “Gift from the American people to the French people on the occasion of the bicentennial of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen and the Bill of Rights of the United States, 1789-1989. A testimony to two centuries of friendship offered by the American Committee on the French Revolution and the FA Bartlett Tree Expert Company.”
Here she is! The friendship tree!
Love these Easter decorations. This city is all about it!
Hi St. Matthieu’s!
I arrived home, ordered a pizza, popped open a bottle of wine and sat back to enjoy a night of movies and calls with friends. I hope you enjoyed this virtual tour of Colmar!
It was time to depart for my last minute vacation! I knew that this would be my last chance to travel in France this time around, so I packed my little backpack and headed out for the 8:30 bus to Meyzieu. The timing was perfect and I arrived in Lyon with about an hour until my train would arrive. You know that I had to stop in for some Starbucks breakfast!
Yum yum yum
I sat outside to eat and had the strangest string of interactions. Three different men came up to me to ask for a cigarette (I wasn’t even smoking). I decided to act like I didn’t speak French so I could avoid a conversation and just told them “English, English.” It worked pretty well. A fourth man approached me saying something about music and gestured for me to follow him to the tram stop a few yards away. I once again feigned incomprehension. I knew he wanted to get me away from my things and would pickpocket me if I got up. I remained seated and told him I couldn’t help and that I just spoke English. He walked away with a huff. A few minutes later, there was a huge commotion as a man entered the tram and two girls tried to pickpocket him. He shouted at them and slapped their hands away before getting on the tram. The noise startled me and I must have looked shocked because the older man sitting on the other side of the bench laughed in my direction. He introduced himself and offered me a cigarette. When I declined he launched into his life story, telling me that he came to France from Turkey, was 56, and was in Lyon to validate his visa. He told me that the city was far too expensive just to have one person working in the family, which he thought was shameful. He asked if I was married, I said no and that I worked to support myself as an English teacher. He was shocked that I didn’t have a spouse. We chatted for a few minutes more before I excused myself to go check the train times. We said goodbye and parted ways.
Once inside the station, I discovered that my train was delayed about 15 minutes. I stood by the signs and did my best to watch my wallet and phone. There were a lot more people begging for money than usual and I wondered if the new lockdown orders were spurring them to come out for the last time. Finally, we were allowed on our platform to await the train.
Last time at Lyon Part Dieu!
I arrived at the Colmar station about 3.5 hours later. The sky was a beautiful blue and the sun was out, but the air had a bite to it that necessitated another coat. I instantly fell in love with the red brick of the city. You never get to see brick in France!
The Colmar train station
My AirBnb was actually right down the street from the station. It was so close that you could hear the announcements for train arrivals. However, the bed was the most comfortable bed that I’ve ever slept on in France. It was amazing. I drank some coffee and stretched my legs before heading out to explore the town a bit. I had just three hours left before curfew would go into effect.
My Airbnb
I loved the patterned brick work on this building.
Bad picture, but this is the prefecture de police
I wandered a few blocks over and discovered that I was actually really close to the historic center of town. There was a massive park that was located across from the préfecture. Lots of people were spread out on blankets, others were walking dogs, still more were just huddled up around benches with their friends.
Massive plaza in front of the park leading to downtown. I wondered why I kept seeing items decorated with the Statue of Liberty
I wandered my way into the historic center of town.
Wow! Look at that wood work. This instantly reminded me of Germany.
The Dominican church
The door of the Dominican church
St. Martin’s church
St. Martin’s church
The Adolph house once belonged to a wealthy merchant, featured on the righthand side of the picture.
The town was surprisingly busy. Many of the bars were serving people outside, so there were massive crowds of maskless people wandering about. I made sure to double mask throughout the weekend. I was also surprised by how intensely the town had decorated for Easter. There were tons of candy and chocolate shops that had their windows DECKED OUT for the occasion. However, the canals were also decorated from above with little Easter scenes.
Chocolate bunnies, eggs, and chicks
Right around the corner from St. Martin’s with can see the Maison Pfister, another house belonging to a merchant. Better pictures will be provided on the next post!
Cool little balcony and stone work down the street
A fountain dedicated to the memory of German oppression
This is the High Court of Justice of Alsace
This is a fountain by Bartholdi. People are gathered in a crowd to drink because there is a bar to the left.
Back view of St. Martin’s
Stretching across the canals there are little Easter scenes
A building originally intended to house Protestant ministers that was used as a marketplace.
The building that currently houses the town’s library.
Église Saint-Matthieu, was used as both a Protestant church and a Catholic church.
Cool building decorated with instruments
The Synagogue of Colmar
A stone before the synagogue that acknowledges the crimes against Jews perpetrated by the population during the period of Nazi occupation.
If you look closely you can see the beautiful stained glass windows.
I noticed these little triangles scattered throughout the city. I decided to do my best to follow them. They’re decorated with the Statue of Liberty. I needed to do a Google search as to why when I got back to the Airbnb.
Look at those facades!
Pretty little fountain next to Monoprix.
An old church and hospital that now houses great works of art.
The other side of the building.
The tourism office.
The theatre
Adorable flowers
The train station
I had been making my way home when I realized that I needed to grab some snacks for the night. I turned around and headed back downtown in search of rations.
Building across from the park
Little wishing well next to the Dominican church.
Next to the art museum and tourism office
It’s spring at last!
Unknown church
Sadly, I was unable to locate snacks for the night. I ordered in a pizza, which was also not up to snuff. That night I watched Promising Young Woman online, which was amazing. I got to chat with my family and enjoyed a relaxing evening by myself. I did a lot of research about the town that I prepared to utilize the next day. Now I would know which buildings I was looking at and some of the history behind them. In my research, I discovered that there is a tourist trail in town and that the little gold plates were part of the trail. They were decorated with the Statue of Liberty because the man who designed her was born in Colmar. There’s a museum dedicated to him and his work! More on that tomorrow.
Mary-Est-En-France 